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Seniors on the "KVT" Club Tennis Team
Interested in playing a competitive sport in college but not on the Division I level? Claire Kelly ’25 explains how club sports work at Davidson College, and how she has found community within the club tennis team.
About the Author
Claire Kelly ’25 (she/her) is an English major and Hispanic Studies minor from Clarks Green, Pennsylvania. Beyond the classroom, she serves as editor-in-chief of The Davidsonian, service chair of Warner Hall Eating House, and a member of the Club Tennis team.
“I chose Davidson for the small community. Davidson has provided me with so many unique opportunities and has encouraged new interests that I would not have had elsewhere!”
My family has always joked that altogether, we are a pretty unathletic crew.
However, tennis seemed one of the few sports that we were somewhat…and somehow…decent at. I grew up hearing of my mom playing on her high school team, the very same team that my brother and I played on. When applying to colleges in the fall of my senior year, I knew that my time on an official tennis team was coming to an end, which was a new and bittersweet feeling. Although I didn’t know how I would continue tennis in college, I was hopeful that Davidson would have some fun ways to keep up with the sport. Luckily, I was not disappointed!
Traveling to weekend tournaments away from campus is part of the fun.
A group of club tennis members at an off-campus weekend tournament.
Davidson has a wonderful group called KVT which stands for Klub Varsity Tennis—obviously a very professional and prestigious name. KVT is one of many club sports at Davidson, student organizations formed and led by students who have a passion and commitment to developing as leaders while playing a sport they love. Learn more about Davidson’s Club Sports
Everyone's a little nervous and frantic in their first year, and I certainly was no different, so having KVT as an outlet, particularly in my first semester, was a great way to continue something that I loved. It was different from a high school team in that it was co-ed and full of people at all different tennis levels: some had played their whole lives; some had never picked up a racket; some just played for fun. This part has been one of my favorites to observe because it allows so many different people to come together and just have a good time with one another.
Halloween practice means showing up in costumes!
Playing glow-in-the-dark tennis!
As I found my bearings throughout the year, I started dabbling with the more competitive side of club tennis. I went to a few away tournaments and was surprised to see just how large the competitive college club tennis network is for those who seek it out. I remember the first tournament I went to; I played in a doubles match (and played with someone who happened to be one of my future roommates) and completely choked and probably missed most of the shots I hit.
PSA to any incoming club sports athletes: have no fear—it’s never that serious and embarrassing moments will happen more often than you’d like, but they happen to everyone!
We all laughed it off and ended up having a great rest of the day together, and of course, stopped at Cookout on the way home.
From White Elephant gift swaps at Christmastime, to Halloween dress-up practice, to big/little deliveries for Patterson Court Council’s Eating Houses (part of Davidson’s unique take on Greek life), the eclectic KVT bunch has held a special place in my heart throughout my time at Davidson. I have seen the team change and shift. I have watched juniors become seniors and seniors become alumni. Now, as I approach my senior year, that bittersweet feeling of ending my time on a team is creeping up behind me. Nevertheless, I know that the people at KVT are the kind of people that not only make the saying goodbye part of it all difficult, but also make the experience worthwhile. Even in times when I am bogged down with semester responsibilities, I know that I can show up and pick up right where I left off with KVT, something that I will always be grateful for!